Phillips powers Reds over Pirates 5-3

3 years ago

Brandon Phillips drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double on Friday night, and Mike Leake got the better of left-hander Francisco Liriano for the third time this season, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates that tightened the NL Central.

The third-place Reds moved to within three games of second-place Pittsburgh. The Pirates lead their season series 6-5.

The Reds sent nine batters to the plate for four runs in the fifth off Liriano (9-4), who had his shortest outing of the season. Chris Heisey 's infield single drove in the first run, and Phillips' double off Justin Wilson made it 5-0.

Heisey also had a solo homer off Liriano, who is 0-3 in three starts against Leake and the Reds this season.

Leake (9-4) gave up solo homers to Starling Marte , Andrew McCutchen and Russell Martin in the sixth inning. Manny Parra fanned Pedro Alvarez with runners on second and third to end the seventh.

Aroldis Chapman struck out two in the ninth while getting his 22nd save in 25 chances.

The Ohio River rivals have produced the majors' most painful pairings this season. Nineteen batters have been hit by pitches - the Reds 10 times, the Pirates nine times - in their 11 games. Nobody was hit on Friday, a rare game that didn't leave a mark.

The Pirates emerged from the All-Star break with their best record in 37 years. Their 56 wins were their most at the break since the World Series champion Pirates of 1971 had 57 wins.

Pittsburgh's overriding question: Can it avoid another second-half meltdown and break a two-decade streak of losing?

The Reds are trying to duplicate what they did last season, when they went on a surge after the break and ran away to the NL Central title. First, they need to get healthy. Top starter Johnny Cueto , set-up men Sean Marshall and Jonathan Broxton , and cleanup hitter Ryan Ludwick are still on the disabled list.

Heisey took over in left field when Ludwick got hurt, then pulled his right hamstring and missed nearly two months. His solo shot on Friday gave him three homers since his return.

Phillips' decisive double came a few hours after a magazine released an interview with the All-Star second baseman in which he said he's still "scarred" by the Reds' decision to give Joey Votto a 10-year, $225 million extension in 2012 while he was in tough negotiations for an extension of his own. Votto said he understood Phillips' opinion and appreciated his honesty.